Rising NFC-based attacks threaten contactless payments — Kaspersky

Attacks on Android smartphones using near-field communication (NFC) to steal funds surged 188% in the first four months of 2025, according to a report by BusinessWorld, citing cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.

Kaspersky said its security solutions blocked 35,600 attacks from Android malware families that exploit NFC techniques, including SuperCard X, PhantomCard, and NGate. The malware can intercept contactless payment data or relay NFC communications to steal money from victims.

The rise in NFC-based threats underscores growing risks to contactless payments, which have become more popular due to convenience. Kaspersky advises users to avoid downloading apps from unverified sources and to disable NFC when not in use to reduce exposure.